"Devil Bear and Ghost Leopard have fallen…"
Bibi Dong's voice was calm—so calm it was terrifying.
"Ten thousand Spirit Masters…"
"Less than one-tenth remain..."
"Heh…"
The flames of the great hall's candles shuddered violently.
From the shadow of the throne,
A face—stunningly beautiful, yet cold as frost—emerged.
Around her purple eyes, faint black cracks spread like spiderwebs,
Making her look like a shattered porcelain doll—
Frightening, and heartbreakingly beautiful.
"Reporting to Your Holiness the Pope…"
Yue Guan and Gui Mei knelt on one knee, their voices tight with rage and shame.
"The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan was fully aware of the Spirit Hunt Operation!"
"They allied with Feng Bailong and Dugu Bo, setting a trap that caught us completely off guard!"
A face flashed through Bibi Dong's mind—
But she quickly dismissed the thought.
She herself had never disclosed the Spirit Hunting Operation.
Her slender fingers tapped rhythmically on the throne's armrest.
Then—
she froze.
"Li Zhexian's sudden appearance at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan…"
"He made no effort to conceal his movements—almost as if he wanted my Spirit Hall to know…"
"Feng Bailong, Dugu Bo—both serve as his protectors…"
"So… it was Li Zhexian again."
BOOM—!
The Pope's scepter in her hand exploded into pieces.
"Li… Zhe… Xian…"
The name hissed through her clenched teeth.
Threads of dark purple Spirit Power spread from her body,
and the eternal lamps along the walls dimmed to a ghastly green.
A sinister aura smothered the once-brilliant hall in shadow.
"Did Li Zhexian take part in the battle?"
"How powerful has he become?"
Standing beside the throne, Hu Liena's fox-like eyes flickered with unease.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei hesitated for a long moment before rasping out their reply:
"He can no longer be compared to five years ago…"
"Li Zhexian's sword has grown unimaginably sharper—and he now wields immense spiritual power."
"Devil Bear, , lost in grief over the Ghost Leopard's fall, had his mind seized by a single strike from Li Zhexian's sword."
"Were it not for that…"
"…Devil Bear would never have died!"
"Your Holiness—give Li Zhexian another five years—"
"No… even three, perhaps only two—and he might truly rival a Titled Douluo!"
What they spoke of—"rivaling a Titled Douluo"—
was not counting Li Zhexian's suicidal ultimate technique, the one that burned his very life.
Hu Liena suddenly looked up—
Her mature, alluring face froze in disbelief.
A single sword… could shatter Elder Demon Bear's mind?!
Li Zhexian… could already enter a battle among Titled Douluo?!
Two years…
and he could stand as their equal…?
The thought struck her like ice water to the skull—
her expression turned blank, lost.
How could she ever avenge herself on Li Zhexian now…?
Upon the throne, Bibi Dong fell silent.
After a long moment, her voice returned—still calm,
but every word wrapped in killing intent cold enough to freeze the soul.
"Li Zhexian is also closely tied to that old dragon of the Blue Lightning Clan."
"We have lost ten thousand Spirit Masters. Spirit Hall must recover its strength."
"You two will withdraw and heal your wounds."
"When you have recovered…"
"You will accompany me—to the Star Dou Forest."
"Li Zhexian..."
"This Pope will personally kill him."
...
The battle between the Spirit Hall and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan
had already spread across the entire continent.
In just a few days,
it had become the talk of every tavern and teahouse.
Two Titled Douluo falling in battle was shocking enough—
but what truly set the people aflame
was the rebirth of a legend:
Five years ago, the boy who had been wanted by the entire continent—Li Zhexian—
now had the power to intervene in a Titled Douluo battle,
even to orchestrate the death of one!
...
In Heaven Dou City, storytellers seized the tale eagerly,
weaving it into twenty-eight chapters and thirty-six scenes of heroic verse
Across a noodle stall, an old man slammed the storyteller's gavel down,
his voice booming:
"Now hear me well!"
"That day…"
"Lord Sword Wine, Li Zhexian, emerged from seclusion, his sword newly enlightened—
Just as Spirit Hall launched its assault on the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan!"
"With but a single swing—! Blood rain reversed, mountains crumbled, and stones split asunder! Below, ten thousand Spirit Masters felt their very skulls crack, their souls fleeing to the heavens!"
"And what do you say happened?"
"Devil Bear Douluo, who bore the brunt, how could he emerge unscathed?!"
"A Titled Douluo fell because of Lord Sword Wine's sword!"
"Contemporary talents are numerous as the fish crossing the river!"
"However, Lord Sword Wine has already leapt the Dragon Gate!"
"The ranks of the world's powerhouses must include the name of Sword Wine!"
Clack——!
The gavel struck the table, concluding the point.
The dense crowd of listeners below fell into a moment of silence, then erupted in deafening cheers.
"Good!!"
Copper coins rained down onto the storyteller's table.
...
After lingering several days with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan,
and confirming that Spirit Hall had abandoned its plan of attack,
Li Zhexian prepared to set off on his own journey.
Behind him, Gu Rong had already returned to his sect to oversee its defense,
while Chen Xin arrived by sword-flight.
Alongside Dugu Bo, Feng Bailong, and Yu Yuanzhen,
four Titled Douluo of the current age
would accompany Li Zhexian into the Star Dou Fores
At the gates of the Blue Lightning Clan,
disciples in blue training robes gathered to see them off.
"Master, you're incredible!"
Yu Tianxin clenched his fists, eyes full of shining admiration for the white-robed youth.
He'd said those same words so many times that his lips were nearly blistered—
but if he didn't say them, he felt as though his chest would burst.
"Master, when can I be like you?"
"I'm not asking to slay Spirit Douluo or fight Titled Douluo—"
"Just help me beat Yu Tianheng, and I'll be satisfied!"
Yu Tianheng smacked his younger brother on the head.
"What nonsense are you spouting!" he scolded, though a smile tugged at his lips.
Then his gaze softened as he looked at Li Zhexian.
This friend of his—
was no longer the same youth from the past.
He truly stood among the top experts of the continent now.
"Zhexian… you're remarkable," Yu Tianheng said sincerely.
Li Zhexian smiled, patting his shoulder.
"When I return," he said,
"Gather Dugu Yan and Lingling, and we'll drink together again."
Then he turned toward the four elders and bowed deeply.
"Seniors, I trouble you for this journey to the Star Dou Forest."
The four Titled Douluo smiled, their faces bright with good humor.
"No need for such formality," one said.
"Hahaha—besides, we've long wanted to see for ourselves the two overlords of that forest!"
"Let's go!"
They rose into the wind—riding their swords through the sky.
Though Li Zhexian had yet to reach rank seventy and could not yet summon his Martial Soul True Body to fly,
he relied on the mystery of his technique 'Yazi Gap'
and his vast spiritual power to generate sword qi beneath his feet—
his body gliding like a living blade through the air.
As the five figures vanished beyond the horizon,
Yu Tianheng, Yu Tianxin, and the Blue Lightning disciples stood in awe,
before finally returning to the clan grounds.
"Before the clan master returns," came the order,
"the Blue Lightning Clan shall seal its gates and receive no visitors."
...
Deep within the Star Dou Great Forest—
By the Lake of Life.
The Titan Giant Ape squatted on the ground,
a small clay monkey sculpture neatly placed upon the boulder before it.
Mimicking the figure's pose,
the giant ape gripped a massive tree trunk like a staff,
and behind its enormous head, two plumes of feathers—plucked from some unknown beast—were stuck like a crown.
It turned to the mirror-smooth surface of the lake.
There in the reflection—
was a giant ape, feathers on its head, holding its great cudgel.
The Titan Giant Ape bared its teeth in a wide grin.
"I wonder what that boy Li Zhexian calls this little clay monkey of his," it muttered.
"Even Sister Xiao Wu, who's lived among humans, didn't know."
"When that boy gets here, I'll have to ask him properly."
"Heh—don't I look magnificent, though?"
Not far away,
a girl in a pink dress—Xiao Wu—slept curled up on a lotus leaf,
her head resting against Zhu Zhuqing's shoulder.
Splash—
In the lake, the vast body of the Azure Bull Python moved lazily,
a massive bronze ring spinning around the tip of its tail.
It was about to speak—
when its deep blue eyes suddenly snapped open…